Guy Inquest Prompts Charges Against Two

MIT Students to be Arraigned Today on Four Counts Of Narcotics Possession, Conspiracy

By Rima Arnaout
ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

Two students have been charged with drug possession with intent to distribute as a result of a Campus Police investigation into the death of Richard A. Guy ’99 from nitrous oxide asphyxiation in an East Campus room during Orientation.

Susan M. Mosher ’99, who is still enrolled as an undergraduate, and Rene A. Ruiz ’99 were charged last week with four counts of drug possession with intent to distribute. The charges named the drugs as psilocybin (hallucinogenic mushrooms), amphetamines, marijuana, and nitrous oxide.

Both were also charged with conspiracy to violate drug laws, possession of a hypodermic, and cruelty to animals in a complaint filed by Campus Police Detective Sergeant Mary Beth Riley in Cambridge District Court. Guy was found dead in Mosher’s room, Walcott 509.

“We possess substantial evidence to support these charges,” said Chief of Campus Police Anne P. Glavin at a press conference last Friday. “There may be other charges added at a later time.”

President Charles M. Vest expressed pride for the professionalism and swiftness of the Campus Police in the investigation. “We agreed [the CPs] were to be aggressive and intense in this investigation,” he said.

Neither Mosher nor Ruiz was arrested, although both are due to appear for separate arraignments in Cambridge District court today. Arrest warrants will be issued if they do not appear at their hearings, according to Glavin. She also said that the two will not be charged in the death of Guy.

Ruiz and Mosher had not been notified of the actions against them when the charges were first announced last Friday. “We’ve had no communication with them,” Glavin said Friday.

Glavin also left open the possibility that more students would be charged.

“The investigation is not complete and it will be continuing. There is every possibility that there will be other charges against other individuals at a later time,” she said.

Statements, events in CP report

A Campus Police report filed in Cambridge District Court provides the first insight into the details surrounding Guy’s death.

The report includes a summary of statements from two of Guy’s friends, Kevin D. McCormick ’99 and Dylan T. Stiles ’02. According to McCormick and Stiles, Guy experienced mood swings and would often “babble” about suicide and death.

McCormick, Stiles and Nathaniel D. Friedman ’99 stated, however, that Guy was excited about being prescribed the anti-depressant Zoloft (setraline hydrochloride).

Around midnight on the morning of Aug. 31, Alison M. Novak ’00 entered Walcott 509 to feed Mosher’s cat when she found Guy with a plastic bag over his head. She notified others on the floor and Campus Police.

In response to Novak, who ran down the hall asking if anybody knew CPR, Howard Y. Yuh G and Benjamin A. Chambers ’01 performed CPR on Guy until CPs arrived. Guy was declared dead at the scene shortly after.

Based on witness statements, Riley obtained a warrant to search Mosher’s room. Campus Police, along with photographers from Cambridge Police, executed the warrant and took pictures of the scene and recovered alcohol, marijuana, mushrooms, amphetamines, nitrous oxide, and drug paraphernalia for evidence.

According to police reports, no materials “that might add to this investigation” were found in Guy’s room.

According to court documents, possession of amphetamines is punishable by 2.5 to 10 years in jail or a fine of $1,000 to $10,000. Similarly, possession of psilocybin can result in up to a five year imprisonment or a $5,000 fine.

Marijuana and nitrous oxide possession can lead to 2.5 year and 9 month terms of imprisonment, respectively.